Saturday, April 2, 2016

I am awakened in the middle of the night by a piano playing in my home, it’s distant. It’s the same four notes over and over—D A F A, D A F A…D A F A, D A F A—these notes call to me as if we know each other, their ghostly echo stirring an old memory I had long forgotten.

I awkwardly fall out of bed, careful not to wake my wife lying next to me, or my boys in the room next door. My body drifts forward and backward, my arms scrape the walls at my side. I make it to my basement door and open it…pitch black—D A F A, D A F A—I know this song. The notes seem louder now.

Owned by Simon & Garfunkel when I first was introduced to it twenty some years ago, and sang by a band named Disturbed when I last heard it (most recently), I’m very aware that a third grade choir could be humming it, its melody would nevertheless strike me still. But on this night there are no words, only a solemn piano. Knowing there’s no such instrument down those steps I wonder if I’m dreaming, then again—D A F A—no, not tonight.

Hello Darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.

I take the steps one at a time knowing where this is going—we have a relationship.

Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping.

It lives in my subconscious, unknowingly it took a piece of me years earlier…time has reaped its harvest.

And the vision that was planted in my brain, still remains, within the sound of silence.

Nameless, it owns me—the brightest of moments unable to outshine its grip.

In restless dreams I walked alone, narrow streets of cobblestone

Pretending to know the way, I navigate the most difficult of terrain

‘Neath the halo of a street lamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp

And guided by an ever faint light I blindly march on

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light that split the night…And touched the sound of silence

Then something fantastic happens…a great fall shakes loose the darkness in my mind—the misery is exposed

And in the naked light I saw, ten thousand people maybe more

The light before me is the realization of my own despair—deep within it I begin to see humanity and am reminded of all that I’ve chosen to forget

People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, People writing songs that voices never share

The importance of people in our lives, family—friends—strangers, the strength of the human spirit and the power of human touch.

On December 4th, 2015 I took a very bad fall. I had bruising and blood on my brain and had ten staples in the back of my head—it took me a little over eight weeks to fully recover and when I did I realized...I had awoken!

In the days and weeks after my fall it quickly became apparent to me that I was living in a rather dark place for quite some time and wasn’t even aware of it. I had much to be happy for and thankful for in my life, but literally never recognized either. I was going through the motions with little interest in the person standing to my right or left. I have never been a selfish person, my whole life, however just because I wasn’t selfish didn’t make me righteous. I very much lost sight of the importance of people in our lives, most notably strangers or the person(s) we are all to meet tomorrow!

Whether they be in the coffee line at Starbucks or the commuter sitting across from us on the train, we are all better served to remember the value of human touch. Even if it is just for a few moments a day…Greet someone, engage in conversation, be courteous; be positive…SMILE! And in doing so you will be replacing a little darkness with a little light in your own life and the lives of the people you meet. And should it be that you don’t find the response you were hoping for or expecting, than I encourage you to do it again the next day, and again the following day, and again, and again, for this is not a selfish act, but rather an act of human kindness that deserves no reciprocation. Be an inspiration...Reach out and Touch Someone Today!